WEATHER ALERT: Tornado watch expands to cover much of Richmond metro

A tornado watch issued for portions of Central Virginia through 9 p.m. Friday has been expanded to include Richmond, Henrico, Cumberland, New Kent, and Powhatan.

Areas already under the earlier watch include Amelia, Chesterfield, Prince Edward, Prince George, Brunswick, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, Isle of Wight, Southampton, Surry, Sussex, York, Charles City and James City counties. It also includes Colonial Heights, Hopewell, and Petersburg.

First Warning Weather team is monitoring the threat for severe thunderstorms, including damaging, gusty winds and hail. A brief, spin-up tornado cannot be ruled out across southeast Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. The peak timing for severe weather will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Models indicate that showers will become widespread around 4 p.m. and move from west to east through the evening. We should dry out quickly around Richmond International Raceway by 9 p.m., but it'll take some time for the track to dry from any of the showers.